The presentation discusses the intense water and energy requirements for the food we consume. He will touch on the effects of climate change which will require all of us to think about how we can reduce our water and energy footprints of the food to ensure sufficient resources are available for future generations.
FUTURISTIC FOOD PRODUCTS OFTEN INVOLVE INNOVATIONS THAT
Speaking Green Communications Water Energy Food Nexus 03092016 final
1. Is Producing the food we eat a waste
of water and energy we need?
-Insights into the Water Energy Food Nexus
Alameda Kiwanis Club Wednesday March 9, 2016
by
Tony Green
Speaking Green Communications 2016
2. Alternative
Energy
Environment
Advanced
Materials
Water
Conservation
“I believe if people in
general had a better
understanding of
how
alternative/clean
technologies worked
there would much
less comprehension
and fear toward
adopting these
technologies.”
A voice for sustainability
Speaking Green Communications
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Website : http://www.speakinggreencommunications.com
3. Agenda
1. Opening Thought
2. Glimpse of the Future
3. Challenges and More Challenges
4. Food/Water
5. Energy/Food
6. Water/Energy
7. Water – Energy – Food Nexus
8. To Think About
9. Questions and Answers
Speaking Green Communications 2016
4. These were the words of John
Beddington, Chief Scientific Adviser
to the British Government in 2009
when talking about the relationships
between food, energy, water and the
climate.
Speaking Green Communications 2016
http://steps-centre.org/wp-content/uploads/Water-and-the-Nexus.pdf
Opening Thought-
“A perfect storm”
10. What takes more water to produce?
Beef by factor of 3 1/2
Food “and Water” for thought
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/13/food-water-footprint_n_5952862.html
11. Overview of the Processes require
to produce the food we eat
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12. There are a wide variety of food processing operations are be
divided into four broad categories.
Ambient temperature processes. These include cleaning
and sorting; peeling, chopping and shredding and milling; -
filtration, centrifuging, expression, extraction and
membrane processes; mixing, blending and forming.
Thermal processes. These are processes involving heating
and include pasteurization and sterilization; evaporation;
and various cooking processes. Low temperature processes;
chilling and freezing.
Fermentation processes
Post processing operations; packaging and storage
Food Processing Overall
Copyright @ Speaking Green Communications 2016
http://sst-web.tees.ac.uk/external/U0000504/Notes/ProcessPrinciples/Balance/Balance.html
13. About the Water Required – How is used?
Copyright @ Speaking Green Communications 2016
Fruit
% Water
Content
Cranberries 87
Grapefruit 91
Water Melon 92
Orange 87
Strawberries 92
Pineapple 87
Grapes 81
Apple 84
Banana 74
Peach 88
Vegetable
% Water
Content
Potato 79
Zucchini 95
Cucumber 96
Spinach 92
Tomato (Red) 94
Broccoli 91
Lettuce 96
Celery 95
Eggplant 92
Spinach 92
Prepared by Sandra Bastin, Foods and Nutrition Specialist and Kim Henken, Extension Associate for ENRI.
15. The term Water-Energy nexus refers to the
fact that water and energy are
inseparable/connected. This is because:
Water is required to produce energy.
Energy is required to make use of water.
Water /Energy Separable?
Source: Meeting the Needs of the Water Energy Nexus CEP April 2011
Copyright @ Speaking Green Communications 2016
19. Source: Food is an Energy Issue Getting to a Sustainable and Climate-Friendly Food and Farming System by Heather Schonover
Water Nexus Overview
Copyright @ Speaking Green Communications 2016
20. Energy use in the US food system
Retail food
services
4%
Commercial
food services
7%
Agricultural
production
21%
Transport
14%
Processing
16%
Packaging
7%
Household
storage and
preparation
31%
Copyright @ Speaking Green Communications 2016
21. Energy Used In Producing Food
Energy to make fertilizers and pesticides
Fuels for tractors and other equipment
Fuels for heating and ventilation of farm buildings,
livestock and poultry facilities
Electricity for irrigation (if used), lighting, buildings
Embodied energy in equipment and buildings
http://faculty.geog.utoronto.ca/Harvey/Harvey/books/Energy%20New%20Reality/ENR%20Volume%201/ENR%20Volume%201%20Chapter%207%20(Agriculture).ppt.
Copyright @ Speaking Green Communications 2016
23. Water Energy Food to Think About
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Renewable energy resources
such as solar, wind and tidal
are readily available and do
not require fuel processing and
associated water inputs
The agri-food supply chain accounts
for 30% of the world’s energy
consumption and is the largest
consumer of water resources,
accounting for approximately 70% of
all freshwater use.
24. Water Energy Food to Think About
Copyright @ Speaking Green Communications 2016
Getting your food
locally goes a long
way to reducing
the water and
energy footprints
When you Waste
Food, you Waste
Water as well as
Energy
25. Why Book
Tony?
Tony’s background in clean-
tech which includes
experience in water, energy,
chemicals and the
environment and his
communication skills refined
from this time in
sales/marketing will ensure
attendees will walk away with
timely information and insights
presented in an easy to absorb
manner.
Email: tonygreen@speakinggreencommunications.com for more information
Copyright @ Speaking Green Communications 2016
Good Morning. For those of you who do not know me my name is Tony Green and I would like share with you some insight into the Water Energy Food Nexus.
If you would like to hear any more of these topics these are the topics have given presentations on.
My website and social media would be the best way to stay up to date on my future events.
Here is a brief overview of what I would like to share with you:
I will discuss the intense water and energy requirements for the food we consume and I will touch on the effects of climate change
which will require all of us to think about how we can reduce our water and energy footprints of the food to ensure sufficient resources are available for
future generations. As the examples will show the water/energy/food connection are present in more things associated with our daily lives then you might think
Any questions on what you would like to get out on today’s talk?
'A perfect storm'. These were the words of John Beddington, Chief Scientific Adviser to the British Government in 2009 when talking about the relationships between food, energy, water and the climate. For those of you who might not be aware - A nexus is an interconnection or a relationship
My question is “what would lead to anyone something like that?”
http://steps-centre.org/wp-content/uploads/Water-and-the-Nexus.pdf
He was taking a look at the future which is summarized on this slide
By the year 2030 ( Only 14 years away) in order to support the global population:
We will need
50% Energy
50% More Food
30% More Fresh Water
Where will this come from ?
Summary of the Water Energy Food Nexus are as follows
Climate change – less water, increasing drought and more volatility in rainfall will effect the availability of water
2. Energy intensity of farm operations – fossil fuels and GHG emission versus adoption of Renewable Energy Technologies
3. Water intensity of farm operations – irrigation Most water used for agriculture
4. Biofuel must not compete with food - Food for Energy Secondary methods generation to produce biofuel without using what could be used for food production.
5. Energy intensity of food transport – Transporting Food Especially in California with export so much of agriculture it produces
Images: 1) Climate Change. 2) Water and Energy to Farm, 3) irrigation , 4) biofuel, 5) transportation
Now I will delve into some of the particulars of Food with Energy and Water
What I driving the demand for water energy and Food?
A few things:
1. Rapid economic growth, (Money)
2. expanding populations - larger urban areas (People)
3. increasing prosperity (More Dollars for all)
are ALL driving up demand for energy, water and food.
Now I’d like to look at each of the three legs of the Water Energy Nexus Triangle.
First I’ll start off with Water and Food
Water in Food
Now looking at the amount of water in our food
Beef or Chicken which one takes more water to produce?
The answer is Beef by a factor or 3 ½
Why? (Water to produce the food which feeds the cow)
These foods have processes which are used to produce these products in large volume for our consumption
As it turns out, the nature of these processes have a major impact on the water use or water footprint and
energy use required to produce the product. Refers to everything on the menu.
There are a wide variety of food processing operations involving a range of physical and chemical processes. They may be divided into four broad categories, however.
Water: cleaning, Heating, chilling, freezing, boiling, fermentation (yeast)
Energy: Heating, chilling, freezing, boiling, fermentation (yeast)
,
Ambient temperature processes. which includes cleaning and sorting; various size reduction processes - eg. peeling, chopping and shredding and milling; physical separations - filtration, centrifuging, expression, extraction and membrane processes; mixing, blending and forming.
Thermal processes. These are processes involving heating and include pasteurization and sterilization; evaporation; and various cooking processes. Low temperature processes; chilling and freezing.
Fermentation processes
Note: when yeast is used water must be there to create an aqueous solution so that the yeast can move around and be able to freely come into contact with all the sugars
Post processing operations; packaging and storage
Here is a slide which discusses how much water is the fruit and vegetables we eat. These range for 96% at the highest to 79% at the lowest
As you can see there is more water in all of these items than anything else.
Water and Energy
Before we get started what is Water Energy Nexus? Where have you heard the term?
A Nexus refers to a connection The term Water-Energy nexus refers to the fact that water and energy are inseparable. This is because:
Water is required to produce energy. Water is employed in the production of most forms of turbine generated electricity,
either directly (hydropower, geothermal) or indirectly (washing, cooling).
Energy is required to make use of water. Energy is needed to extract move, treat, deliver -use. and dispose of water This energy is primarily in the term of mechanical or electrical energy
This image here shows examples of the connection and inseparably some of which we will touch on in more detail. In included in the drawing are:
1. Cooling Towers in Power Plants
2. Waste Water Treatment Plants
3. Dams
4. Mining
5. Pumping our Water
The Red Flows are energy and the Blue Flows are water
Here is a Overview of the Water Energy Nexus based on what is required to produce water and energy
Add anything to add ?
Finally I will cover Energy and Food
Energy used in producing food, Energy used in transporting and processing food, Energy used to make packages for food
Energy used by food retailers, Energy used by consumers in getting, storing and cooking food
The following energy consuming processes are used in food
*Processing
*Agricultural Production
*Disposal
*Consumption – cooking
*Retail – refrigeration during storage
This gives a breakdown of the Energy Use by Process
Energy from not only a process viewpoint but an equipment point of view
This gives another view of the interplays.
Water in the center which is where I think it should be
Renewable energy resources such as solar, wind and tidal are readily available and do not require fuel processing and associated water inputs
The agri-food supply chain accounts for 30% of the world’s energy consumption and is the largest consumer of water resources, accounting for approximately 70% of all freshwater use
Getting your food locally goes a long way to reducing the water and energy footprints.
When you Waste Food, you Waste Water as well as Energy.
We as a planet need to manage these so that it will work for everyone.